Dog Groomers - Dogs That Dont Like Being Clipped

[armywag]

I now clip my own dogs, but one of them really does not like his legs touched and is generally really fidgety and restless when being clipped.

I was wondering how his old groomer used to cope with him..

I know that groomers tie them up on the tables but how do you cope with them backing up, snatching their legs back etc?

Just intrigued really

 

[PucciNPoni]

Super glue on the pads of course! JUST KIDDING!

The way *I* cope is that when the dog is pulling its feet back, I ignore the behaviour but keep holding the foot. I don't scold, I don't speak, I just hold. The microsecond the dog relaxes the pulling, I make a huge fuss and reward the dog by telling him he's good and put the foot down. I do this over and over again and holding the leg each time longer and longer til he understands the good behaviour is relaxing, and his pulling does NOT get him what he wants. I might have to de-sensitise him a bit by runnign a clipper against the leg a few times before he realises it's not going to eat him.

As for backing up - I use a LIPsystem which has a safety belt as well as a noose, and an arm overhead to clip it wherever I want. The dog's aren't "strung up" but kept safe in this way.